These Trader Joe’s brownies are a from-scratch copycat of the Sea Salt Brownie Bites sold in the TJ’s refrigerated section dense, dark chocolate, intensely fudgy in the center with crisp edges, finished with flaky sea salt on top.
The recipe is from The Baker Chick by Audra Fullerton. Audra developed this specifically to recreate the TJ’s bites after becoming obsessed with them, and describes the result as “in a whole other league from the store bought ones.” The base is butter, dark chocolate, Dutch-process cocoa, and sugar, melted together on a double boiler into a thick, glossy batter. Four ounces of 70% dark chocolate goes in alongside the cocoa, which is what gives these a deeper, more complex flavor than any box mix.
The recipe has no baking powder or baking soda and that’s intentional. The missing leaveners are the reason these stay dense and fudgy rather than rising into a cakey texture. The cornstarch plays the same role: it adds chew without lifting the crumb
Trader Joes Brownies Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy16
servings10
minutes40
minutes285
kcalA from-scratch copycat of Trader Joe’s Sea Salt Brownie Bites — fudgy dark chocolate brownies with no baking powder, finished with flaky sea salt on top.
Ingredients
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process recommended)
4 oz dark chocolate bar, 70% cacao, chopped
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, cold
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cornstarch
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (Maldon recommended)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Spray with non-stick spray.
- Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water (bowl should not touch the water). Melt the butter. Add sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Stir until fully melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add vanilla, then add cold eggs one at a time, whisking well after each.
- Add flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until fully combined and smooth (about 1 minute). Don’t overmix.
- Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
- Bake 30–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool, lift out using the parchment, and slice into 16 squares.
FAQs
Why is there no baking powder or soda in this recipe?
That’s intentional leaving out leavening agents is exactly what keeps these brownies dense and fudgy rather than airy and cakey. Audra confirms it directly on her site: it’s not a mistake.
What cocoa powder should I use?
Dutch-process or black cocoa gives the deepest chocolate color and flavor. Regular unsweetened cocoa also works Audra used both types mixed together for these.
Can I use a different percentage of dark chocolate?
The 70% cacao level is balanced to the sugar in the recipe. Going higher makes the brownies less sweet; going lower makes them sweeter. Audra recommends sticking with dark chocolate and not swapping for milk or semi-sweet.
Why do the eggs go in cold?
The chocolate and butter mixture is still warm when the eggs are added. Cold eggs cool the batter slightly and prevent any scrambling take them straight from the refrigerator.
Can I make bite size brownies like the TJ’s originals?
Absolutely bake the batter in a greased or lined mini muffin tin for individual bites. Reduce the baking time and test with a toothpick, as they cook faster.
What else can I make with Trader Joe’s ingredients?
Trader Joe’s cookie butter cookies use their Speculoos Cookie Butter as the flavor base of a from-scratch spiced cookie. For a dessert that goes on the table next to these, Trader Joe’s cheesecake recipe uses TJ’s Joe-Joe’s cookies as the crust and their cream cheese for the filling.
